The Traitors: New Blood ended Episode 5 with a murder nobody got to see, and a growing number of viewers are saying they have had enough. After a one-week break that already tested fans’ patience, the October 8 episode closed with Alan Cumming stopping mid-sentence before naming the murder victim, leaving Clyde Moser, Mark Zgoda, and Niyyah Hayes waiting in coffins until Episode 6 aired October 15 and revealed the victim was Niyyah Hayes.
The backlash
The frustration has been loudest on social media, where viewers have spent the days since the episode venting. “Hate these cliffhangers!” is a recurring refrain, and several fans say they would rather wait and binge the full season on Peacock than sit through weekly cliffhangers. Words like frustrated, disappointed, and ridiculous keep surfacing. One common complaint: the show should air two episodes back to back instead of stretching the suspense across weeks.
What the critics say
Tell-Tale TV critic Jerrica Tisdale put it bluntly in her Episode 5 review, writing that the season is “leaning towards the too-many-cliffhangers realm” and that “we don’t need the cliffhangers to keep us watching.” Her review argues the episode spent most of its runtime setting up the murder in plain sight, then left everyone in the dark about who died, calling it a pattern that “could grow tiring soon.”
The other side
Not everyone is angry. A minority of viewers defend the cliffhangers as standard for the franchise, noting that Traitors has always played with suspense. The format is built on paranoia and delayed reveals, and for some fans, the week of theorizing is part of the fun.
Why this one stung more
Context matters. New Blood aired Episodes 1 through 4 across two weeks in September, then went dark on October 1. Fans waited two weeks for Episode 5, and instead of payoff, they got another wait. TV Fanatic’s review called it “the most ridiculous murder yet,” and several reactors noted the episode felt light on action beyond the banishment and the apple chaos. When the audience is already restless, a cliffhanger lands differently.
What happens next
Episode 6, “A Murder of Necessity,” aired Thursday, October 15 at 8:00 p.m. ET on NBC and streams the next day on Peacock. It revealed the victim was Niyyah Hayes, murdered with the cursed apple. The fallout was immediate but not what Victor Vollbrechthausen hoped: he laid out his FruitGate theory at the Round Table, correctly naming Joe Vanella and Tomica Adams, but the room dismissed it and banished Michael Foote 8-3-3-1 instead, revealing Foote as a Faithful. Episode 7 aired October 22, 2026. Mark Zgoda was murdered, and the episode ended on another cliffhanger: Victor Vollbrechthausen received the most Round Table votes, but the secret Power of the Pardon holder gets to decide whether his banishment stands. That decision lands in Episode 8, which airs October 29, 2026.
FAQ
Why did Episode 5 end on a cliffhanger?
The episode closed with Alan Cumming about to reveal the murder victim (“We can reveal the Traitors have murdered…”) before cutting off. The victim’s identity was revealed in Episode 6: Niyyah Hayes, murdered with the cursed apple and confirmed as a Faithful.
Who could the Episode 5 murder victim be?
It was Niyyah Hayes. Episode 6 revealed she was murdered with the cursed apple and confirmed as a Faithful. Before the reveal, the candidates were the three players left in their coffins: Clyde Moser, Mark Zgoda, or Niyyah Hayes.
When does Episode 6 air?
It aired Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. ET on NBC, streaming Friday on Peacock. Episode 7 aired October 22, 2026, and Episode 8 airs October 29, 2026.
Are fans right to be frustrated with the cliffhangers?
That is a matter of taste. Critics like Tell-Tale TV argue the show leans on cliffhangers too heavily, especially after the October 1 break. Defenders say suspense is the core of the format. Either way, the weekly schedule from here through the November 19 finale means every episode now carries its own weight.
